Garden clearance across All Northern Ireland councils: 11 councils
Registration details checked against official sources, October 2026. Council rules vary and change, so the answers must come from the council itself.
If your jobs take you across more than one of these councils, you have to follow the rules of each council where you work. Your registration covers you as a carrier, but tipping, tree, skip and parking rules belong to each council.
It depends where the job is, not where you live
Council rules apply where the work happens. If you are based in one council and clear a garden in the next one, you need to follow the rules of the council you worked in, on top of your registration. A job that crosses an area means checking every council it touches.
The councils
- Antrim and Newtownabbey
- Ards and North Down
- Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
- Belfast
- Causeway Coast and Glens
- Derry City and Strabane
- Fermanagh and Omagh
- Lisburn and Castlereagh
- Mid Ulster
- Mid and East Antrim
- Newry, Mourne and Down
One checklist, every council
Ask each council you work in these questions and keep a page per council:
- Tipping: Which tips or transfer stations take trade waste? Is a permit, account or booking needed, and what do they charge per load?
- Trees and hedges: How do I check for tree preservation orders and conservation areas before cutting? Who do I contact?
- Skips and parking: Do I need a permit to put a skip on the road or to suspend parking? What does it cost?
- Checks and enforcement: How does the council check carriers’ vehicles and paperwork? Who is the enforcement or fly-tipping contact?
- Trade waste and fees: Are there local rules, schemes or charges for businesses clearing customers’ waste?
- Anything else: Any local licences, byelaws or requirements for garden clearance businesses?
Registration in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland you register with NIEA, which is part of DAERA. Upper tier registration with NIEA costs £180 for a new application and £90 to renew. The lower tier is free but only covers certain carriers. Carrying controlled waste without being registered is a criminal offence with a maximum fine of £5,000. NIEA registration lets you carry waste in Northern Ireland only. A registration from England, Wales or Scotland does not cover Northern Ireland, and a Northern Ireland carrier working in Scotland must also register with SEPA. Official guidance from NIEA.
General guidance, not legal advice. Disclaimer.